John Lewis bucks trends and reports 7% rise in revenues compared to last year

Department chain John Lewis posted strong sales in the final full week before Christmas, bucking the trend of high street sales that have suffered from mild weather and early discounting.

The employee-owned firm, which runs 46 stores, reported revenues up 7% to £171.8m (€234m) in the week to December 19, compared to a year ago.

The retailer said home entertainment items put in a good performance, with gaming consoles such as PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 up 180% compared to 12 months ago.